The invention relates to apparatus and methods relating to the field of internal self-rotating fluid jetting nozzles.
Fluid jetting nozzles are useful in a wide range of applications. For example, hydro-jets are used for cleaning, scale and coating removal, steel and concrete surface preparation, concrete etching and hydro-demolition. These nozzles are often coupled to hand-held control guns or automated devices and used in combination with fluid pumps.
One particularly useful type of fluid jetting nozzle is the internal self-rotating, or spin, nozzle. Generally, an insert, or rotor, rotates and spins within a bore of the nozzle and jets fluid out the nozzle. An example self-rotating nozzle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,097, issued on Jul. 12, 1994 to Wesch et al. and entitled “Rotor Nozzle For a High-Pressure Cleaning Device”, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Existing self-rotating nozzles are believed to have one or more undesirable feature or disadvantage. For example, the spinning rotor in various devices smashes and/or grinds against one or more other component, causing damage and pre-mature wear. In some devices, performance may be degraded by the absence of a continuous seal formed between the rotor and a forward component. Further, the absence of a continuous seal in some devices requires the nozzle be pointed downwardly at actuation to create the desired seal. For another example, some self-rotating nozzles require the use of air rotary guns. For yet another example, changing the nozzle output often requires a difficult and expensive modification to the nozzle. For even a further example, various existing devices are believed to have a poor safety rating and performance at non-optimal levels.
It should be noted that the above-described disadvantages are only examples, which may not exist in every instance. Merely by mentioning such disadvantages, it is not intended that each claim of this patent be limited to address or exclude each such disadvantage. Accordingly, none of the appended claims should be limited in any way by the above discussion or construed to address or exclude the cited disadvantages, except and only to the extent as may be expressly stated in a particular claim.
Accordingly, there exists a need for self-rotating fluid nozzles and methods having one or more of the following attributes, capabilities or features: has no external moving parts; has as few as a single moving part; is horsepower efficient; directs 100% of the flow rate through the nozzle; provides improved jetting and cutting power over standard air rotary guns and external, mulit-orifice, self-spinning nozzles; can be designed to provide ultra high pressure water jet cleaning and surface preparation of steel and concrete surfaces; provides the power of a straight jet with the coverage of a fan nozzle, such as a 20 degree fan nozzle; does not require use or repair of an air compressor or motor, UHP swivel seal, air rotary gun or tumble box; has no air lines; has a single self-rotating, internal spinning orifice; eliminates the need to replace an expensive inlet insert to change flow and pressure; has a replaceable drive ring to accommodate different fluid jetting capacities; can be supplied with an inexpensive nozzle repair/replacement kit; has removable, interchangeable parts; is lightweight, reliable, rugged, durable, or any combination thereof; is easily and quickly repairable; had a true safety factor of 3:1; has rotor spin technology that provides for extended life of the nozzle; includes metallurgy that provides a good safety factor and longevity; has no spillage wear between the rotor and rotor seat; has a positive lock rotor; can be operated at working pressures of greater than 40,000 psi; can be actuated in any position; or any combination thereof.